The Silver Lining
by Ayden Silverflame
Summary: Cloud is popular and rich, Leon isn't. Leon has a secret, Cloud really does have feelings, and Prom is going to be a shocker. Exactly how much will they need each other when tragedy strikes? Full summary inside, sorry i couldn't make it all fit in here.
1. Grimm Tales at Moon in a Cup

AN Ayden has done it again, he started a new story. If your one of my other readers, you probably saw my note, that I was working on a Cleon one-shot. Well. This is the one-shot!! And it's a whole story now!! I just kept getting more and more ideas.

So this is how Cloud and Leon got together before they made their appearance in Alone (which is under rewrite, I have 2 chapters and about 6k words done on it now). It's going to be a GREAT story, if my ideas make their way from my head, through the keyboard, and out to you guys the way I want them too.

Cloud may be a little "OOC" a term which I hate. So what if he acted one way in the games/movies? Big effing deal. There's more to the characters than the way they were in the game, and I'm going to write them the way I feel they are, and how I like them. So no flaming.

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Cloud, Leon, or any of the character's mentioned. Nor do I own Moon in a Cup, tis the name of Kaye's coffee shop from Holly Blacks _The Modern Faerie Tale_ series.

Warning: When it comes, there will be some yummy shounen-ai, at least. Maybe some yaoi, if I can get it written without blushing my face off. Language, and Cloud's random homicidal thoughts.

Full Summary: Cloud is a popular heartthrob, Leon is the shy kid that everyone likes to beat up. When forced to drive their little brother's back and forth, they strike up a patchwork friendship, which deepens the more Leon gains self esteem, and Cloud opens up. But when tragedy strikes both families, and they need each other the most, could it be that friendship isn't all that's there? Leon has a secret, Cloud isn't as stoic as he appears, and Prom...well let's just say, Prom is going to be shocking this year. Rated M for later chapters.

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Grimm Tales at Moon in a Cup

**Cloud POV**

Hi. M'names Cloud Eliziar Strife. I'm seventeen, and a swordfighter. I have homicidal thoughts (mostly about my little brother) and I like to listen to country music. The good stuff, Toby Keith, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift. None of that bluegrass shit, the newer, good stuff. My parents live at their workplace almost, and I practically take care of my little brother. I have no social life.

That was the general info on my Myspace. Peachy, no? Yeah, I get loads of dates from that. Even though I'm sexy as hell (according to Vexen, the local stalker, and my gym coach, Auron), this stud doesn't get many dates. Maybe I should take out the homicidal thoughts part? Nah. I'm as honest as I am blonde. And I'm pretty damn blonde.

But being a teenager wasn't really much fun. Being a teen, with a little brother that had raging emo bitch fits wasn't fun either. It took everything in me to hold back the anger that wished to lash out at him…the tempting sight of my practice sword drove me wild sometimes. But I had to love the little douche, emo bitch fits and all.

Me and Roxas looked a lot alike, six year age difference aside. Same hair, same eyes. Same genes, no matter how much I wished he was in fact a clone freak we had adopted. Same body build, though, thanks to sparring with my dad, and working out a lot, I had filled out a lot more than I used to be. Oh, how the girls would look at me, how they would fight about exactly who I would ask out for Prom. Loads of fun, dancing with some insufferable bitch. I'd just glare at her through the whole thing. My stoic charade was a lot of fun (and work) to keep up.

Oh. And on the inside, I have a bitch of a sarcastic nature. Gotta love me though.

"Cloooooud!" he whined from the backseat. My hands clenched on the steering wheel. Stoic, stoic, stoic. "Turn the radio up please? I love this song." mutely I reached down to the knob, keeping my eyes on the road. Turning it a few more notches, horrible screaming and thrashing guitars filled my small car.

_Turn off, turn off, where the fucking hell is that damn turn off!?_ I gripped the steering wheel even harder. I hated this. Why did our parents have to work so damn much, and leave me stuck with him? Oh, right, because they loved us and wanted to supply us with everything we wanted, and all that jazz. Still, didn't mean they had to work all the time, did it?

I watched intently for the sign that would point me in the right direction. A large, yellow sign, next to a paopu tree. Paopu tree…where the hell was the damn paopu tree and the fucking yellow sign!?

I could feel my brow start to crease. Damn it! Stoic, stoic, stoic! "Roxas, see if you can spot the sign and the paopu tree…I can't see them anywhere." calm, soft, my voice did nothing to reflect the way I felt on the inside. I was just too damn good for it to do that. I had been driving for half an hour with Roxas, and his hardcore emo music. The mother of all motherfricking headaches was residing in my skull, throbbing its merry way along with me as I drove.

"THERE IT IS OVER THERE!!" Roxas jumped up, pointing violently to the right, I did, in fact see the paopu tree, and the sign. "OVER THERE. OVER THERE OVER THEEEERE!!!!" pointing, yelling and waving was not enough for my suddenly energetic brother. He started to kick my seat, and then, as if that wasn't enough stimulation, he started to hit my shoulder. I was so tempted to do a break check, or swerve, but the stoic, responsible side of me said a stern "NO!".

"Okay." Okay ya little bastard sit still, I'm turning the damn wheel already! That was more of what was running in my head, but I couldn't say it. Stoic, remember? And this was only the first (and unfortunately not last) time I had to drive Roxas places. His best friend Sora unfortunately lived out in the country, a half hour away from our town house in Radiant Garden. The small rural community was home to only farms, animals, and the random convenience store.

I couldn't help but smile (even through all the abuse my poor car was taking), if it was only ever so slightly. Because our parents worked so much, he almost constantly had a friend over, or was at a friends house. They all seemed to be symbiotic, and I hated to think of what would happen when they got older and grew apart

Even though it was so small (only boasting a small grocery and a couple of gas stations), amazingly enough, there were about seven churches. Must be a pretty bad place to have so many churches…that or that's all they did, was go to church. Maybe they went to a different one, each day? I started to laugh out loud inside, and a smile twitched its unwitting way onto my face. I was such a fucking riot!

_I bet Roxas would laugh too, if you told him that joke._ A small, unhelpful voice wormed its way into my head. No. I couldn't tell him a joke, for Goddess sake. Then I really would have to murder him, he'd see I wasn't so stoic…that yes, Cloud was in fact able to make a funny.

"Are you sure this is right, Rox?" I turned right, onto the gravely road. Ah, my wonderful car. She could handle anything, a little gravel, a little mud, all of that didn't bother her at all. Bothered the people in her (especially the one that had to clean her), especially pot holes…they were the worst bitches ever.

"Yes, retard. Yellow sign, and paopu tree. How could you still ask if it was the right turn or not?" he went back to jamming away with the radio. I squeezed the steering wheel again. I think I heard a faint cracking sound this time. My poor car!

We drove another five minutes, up a long, long, _long_ driveway. The Leonheart's owned a large acreage, that Laguna, Sora's father, rented to haymakers, and farmers. A pretty tidy business, apparently. Sora always had the best clothes, best toys, and the car that his mother drove was new and shiny.

"It's just around those trees, Cloud." Roxas leaned forward and pointed. "I wonder if the rest of them are here yet?" I looked at him from the corner of my eye, and I noticed a large blush creep across his face. Ah, so I was right! Mom, you owe me twenty bucks, Roxy boy's gone and gotten a crush.

"You like Namine, don't you, Rox?" my voice was calm, though on the inside I was cheering my good fortune. His blush just darkened in answer, and I shot him an amused glance. I had even guessed the right girl! Score: Mom, zero; Cloud, one! I had that strange ability, I always knew when someone liked someone else, it was a gift that I exploited secretly with even greater (and no less secret) pleasure.

I pulled up to the old farmhouse, and wasn't at all surprised to see the nice, shiny cars. I was surprised to see exactly how shabby the house looked…I thought they had money? I had always assumed they did…from the cars and the nice clothes. Well. I had only ever seen Sora's clothes. His older brother was a bit of an enigma to me, I only knew that a) he went to my school, b) he was a year younger than me, though still in my grade, and c) that I had never actually seen him in person.

"Good, stop the car, go spend time in the city till it's time to pick me up, and get outa here. You're an embarrassment." Roxas shoved the car door open quickly and roughly, jumping out to meet a running Sora in a highfive. _Stoic, stoic, stoic…it's illegal to kill your little brother no matter how much you want to Cloud, just remember that…_ I thought to myself, as I gripped my poor abused steering wheel even harder.

I was going to ruin my car doing this. Every day. Until I died, or I got so pissed off that I finally gave into the urge and killed the little twit. My practice sword would be a very nice, easy to use murder weapon, though a bit obvious.

I'd use an icicle. I read about that in a book, the perfect murder weapon. It would melt away, all trace and fingerprints gone. So, I couldn't go crazy till this winter. Then, oh dear Roxas then, I could kill you and get away with it.

I was laughing maniacally on the inside as I drove away. Only smiling on the outside though, but still. On the inside, I had let my little devil free. Not that I would actually kill the kid, I loved him too much for that. But I could think about it. A lot.

I quickly turned around in the driveway, and drove towards the damn cattle gate. What was I supposed to do for the next few hours? Movies? No…they didn't have anything that I wanted to see. I wasn't in to shopping, so that was out too. Walking around the mall, alone, looking at things, alone, and buying things, alone. Not my cup of tea.

Tea. Coffee. Coffee shop. Wifi.

I'm not shitting you, that's what my thought process did. The only problem was, I had no idea where a free wifi carrying coffee shop was. I bet there was one in town somewhere…and well hell. I had hours to find a place.

Driving around aimlessly was a lot if fun. I got to watch people, and see how they acted. I saw a couple having an argument, an old man sitting at the playground reading a newspaper. A young girl, eating her ice cream, a tall skinny man walking a short, fat dog and a short fat man walking a tall skinny dog.

I finally found a coffee shop, a really small place called Moon in a Cup, boasting the best coffee and tea in town, and joy! Free wifi and computers inside, along with shelves of used books for sale.

Even though I'm what could be termed as a "jock" I loved to read. Books of magic, and dragons, and vampires. I love me some fantasy stories. Most of all, I loved the Grimm Brother stories. I loved them, from simple to complex, the way the Grimm's captured you in a story was amazing to me.

I ordered a large, steaming cup of sweet mint tea and a chocolate chip cookie, and headed over to an empty table. Unfortunately, all the computers were taken up. .I had guessed they might be, for such a tiny place, Moon in a Cup had a large clientele. Setting down my cup, cookie, and jacket, I politely asked my neighbour if they could save my spot for me. Luckily it was a girl, and the sight of me in just a tight, slightly holed black t-shirt guaranteed, she would protect the space with her life.

I headed over to the back wall, where shelf upon shelf of books were located. All in alphabetical order ( I didn't envy the worker that had to do that at the end of the day) and perused the shelves slowly. I really wanted an anthology of the Grimm Brothers, but I could make do with poetry. Some Lord Byron, or maybe some Poe, I wasn't picky, though Poe would be my first choice. I loved the Raven, with all my secretly not stoic heart.

"Grimm…Grimm…Come on they have to have it." I muttered under my breath as I searched, in vain, for my fairytale fix. I was just about to get really disappointed when a kid I recognised seeing beat up at school a few times shoved the object of my search in my face. I didn't know his name, only that everyone at school made fun of him for the way he dressed. Holes, patches, and just plain scruffy, he looked like a homeless person.

"Here. I'm done with it." flipping his jacket, which was a few sizes too large and patched up back onto his shoulders, he ambled toward the door. I could see that his shoes had holes in them, and that his socks were mismatched. I was one of the only kids that didn't pick on or beat him up. I could, mind you if I wanted to. I just always felt so bad for him. Here I was…rich ass Cloud, and there he was…poor as dirt.

Walking back over to my table, dutifully guarded by the random chick (I saw some people who were standing give me a dirty look) I sat down and opened up the tiny world of magic in my hands.

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AN so, this is the first chapter of The Silver Lining. Hit or Miss? Review and let me know! :D Next chapter up within the next few weeks. ^-^


	2. ILY, But I Can't Let You Know

A.N. WOOT Chapter two!! I'm LOVING the way i have this planned buahahahaa!!! -evil face- SOOOO Anyway....here's chap 2....i'm excited, cuz i have the next chapter written already, and some of the 4th one, and plans on the 5th, so it'll all be here soon!! The Christmas chapter is going to rock, the New Year's chapter is....well...you'll see :(

SO wthout further ado, chapter two of The Silver Lining!!! (you may not get the title now, but you'll understand it later, i promise!!)

Disclaimer: NO i don't fucking own Kingdom hearts, unfortuneately, because if i did...oh fans of yaoi, if i did, our dreams would come true! AKUROKU, ZEMYX, XEMSAI, RIKUSOR, AND ALL THE OTHER HOT PAIRINGS IN A LARGE, 400 HOUR PLAY HENTAI GAME!!! WOOOOOT!!! -koff- Ahem. sorry bout that. :D

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ILY, But I Can't Let You Know

**Cloud POV**

I read for hours, the words of the Grimm's carrying me away, to places of magic and castles, of prince charmings, witches and broomsticks, and wishes coming true. It was beautiful, and sometimes brutal. It was like our world, only better. Less cold and hate filled, when something bad happened, there was a legitimate reason, when someone hurt you, it wasn't because you were a different colour, gender, orientation. It was lovely.

I drank the last of my tea, and finished my cookie slowly…I didn't want to leave this place, Moon in a Cup. It was peaceful, and peace was something you didn't get a lot when you lived with my brother…if it wasn't his noise, it was his friend's, or a video game, or a movie…this tiny little coffee shop was amazing.

_Maybe that's why whatshisname comes here?_ I thought to myself, brushing some of my blonde hair out of my eyes. _Cuz it's quiet, and It's not like some bully is going to mess with him here…hell a bully wouldn't come within twenty feet of those bookshelves._ food for thought, that boy was.

I pondered him all the way back to Sora's house. Maybe I should stop just standing there, and watching him get teased and beat up? It's not like anyone would mess with me, if I stood up for him, I was in really good shape, and they all knew I fenced obsessively. Only way they could get the jump in me was if they ganged up…in about a twenty to one scenario, and one little geek with bad clothes, that wasn't that big of a deal.

Yes, Cloud the Stoic, was now to be, Cloud the Saint, protector of the badly dressed and geeky. I liked my new role in life. Driving as slowly as was legally possible, I headed on a melancholy way to pick up Roxas, putting my stoic mask back on. Goddess, I did not want to pick him up…can't I just leave him there? Please? Pretty Please?

No?

Well fine then. I'll just pout on the inside.

I was actually starting to enjoy my long drive when I noticed the ragged boy walking the same direction. Damn, he was fast, if he had walked all this way! Decision time…start my new crusade today, to help the poor kid, or wait until tomorrow? I could always wait until tomorrow, it would save me gas after all. But, my new spirit of charity was trying its damnedest to make my stoic heart of stone break melt, and I couldn't seem to refuse. And the added benefit of driving him wherever he needed to go would make my trip to Roxas longer…that thought won me over completely. Today would be the day that I would start the "Better the Life of a Lesser" crusade.

I pulled over behind him onto the shoulder of the highway slowly, and honked. I tried hard not to laugh on the outside as he jumped about three feet into the air. I hadn't meant to startle him that much, but gosh, it was funny. A small smile twitched onto my face, and I chuckled quietly.

"Hey, do you need a ride?" I called out, as I rolled down my window. A look of unease and distrust slid over his face, and I was glad that I had never picked on him before, because I knew if I had, my Crusade would be over before it began. I knew I was recognisable from school, I mean come one, I was one sexy sum'bitch, and no one besides Roxas and my dad had my hair, the blonde spikes seemed to be a sole trait to the male members of my family.

"Why are you offering me a ride, Cloud Strife?" his voice was soft, and I had to strain to hear it over the traffic, and the sound of my car engine. "Why should someone as popular as you, offer Me, a ride?" distrust, and unhappiness.

"Because it's windy, and it looks like it's going to rain-" which it sure as hell looked like it would, those nasty clouds were just aching to pour, I was sure of it "-and you're walking, and you've been walking all the way from town. So, of course, as a nice guy, I would offer you a ride." Ha. Beat that simple logic.

"If you were a nice guy, wouldn't you have been nicer to me before now?" Oh. Touché. He shifted nervously as the wind suddenly picked up. "And besides, its not like its cold or anything." Ha, Liar. You're shivering. Thunder boomed in the distance and I could see, he was getting even more nervous, hell who wouldn't?

"Look, just get in the car? The wind is picking up, it's getting cold, it's thundering, and it's about to start pouring." I reached over like those really cool guys in the movies do, and opened the passenger side door. "I don't know your name, but if I did, I'd use it along with this: get the hell in the car, so you don't get soaked."

One more large crack of thunder, and the start of one of the most epic storms of the year changed his mind for him, I think he would have sill fought with me on the subject if fat little raindrops hadn't started to fall from their gray homes in the sky. Running the short distance to the passenger side door, he was just about to sit down when a huge ass gust of wind blew up and drenched him completely.

"So, which way am I taking you?" I looked over at him, and he shivered again, holding himself tight. I reached down and turned up the heater full blast. "Better?"

"Yes, thanks. Just keep going down the highway, you can drop me off at my turn off." holding shaking hands to the heater, he shivered again. "You can't miss it. Well, you might in this weather…"

"Haha, yeah. Good thing you took me up on my offer, yes?" I was about to start the car when his whole body shook. I grabbed his hands, and started to rub them rapidly in my own larger ones. He was pretty small for a guy our age, I wonder, maybe he wasn't in my grade after all? If so, those bastards…you don't beat up a kid younger than you…there had to be a code somewhere against it. "Here, let me help. We might as well wait it out a bit here, that okay? And take that jacket off, its soaked all the way through."

"N-no it's fine." he looked down and started to blush. I chose to ignore it, and continued to rub his ice cold hands, all from that one gust of wind? I mean, I know it wasn't exactly summer outside, but still it wasn't that cold, was it? Of course I was wearing a fleece zip off hoodie, and he was wearing a patched up holey, thin little thing.

"Okay. But you'd get warmer faster." his hands had finally reached a semblance of warmth, and the rain which up until a few seconds ago was pouring with the fury that is our local weather let up and I could finally see the road again. "Okay, keep an eye out for your turn off, I have to make sure some asshole doesn't kill us."

Good thing about all this? Ha, I wasted a good 15 minutes. Also, since the weather was so horrid, I got to drive really slow, for a reason other than postponing the arrival of my clone. And his bitch fits from the seventh inner circle of hell.

"So…what's your name? I mean, you know mine, but I don't know yours." I asked, my eyes on the road and the rampaging idiots around me. I mean, come on guys, its raining, the roads are semi flooded, and you're doing 70 miles per hour? What the fuck?

"Asshole! He just cut me off! Ooh, if I had a gun I would-" I growled, flipping off the asshole that had just swerved in front of me.

"M'names Leon." Oh, I had company, I forgot. Shit! Stoic, stoic, stoic. "And I don't think I've ever seen you with anything besides that stupid stony expression on your face." he started to laugh, and I had an urge to kill him. He had seen me without my stoicness!

"Don't tell anyone that I'm actually capable of feeling, it would give me a bad rep." I laughed. I don't know why I did, really I don't. I just couldn't help it. And it's not like it mattered anyway, since he had already seen me pissed and yelling at someone.

"Like I would actually tell anyone? I'd just get beat up for lying." Leon looked down at his hands, as if they were the most interesting things in the world. His long brown hair cascaded down around his face in wet stringlets, and I had an insane urge to push them back. Why would he hide his face behind his hair like that?

"But it wouldn't be a lie, would it? I mean, I am driving you wherever your headed, and I did just cuss some guy out in front of you and threatened him bodily harm." I was confused.

"But they wouldn't believe me, and it's not like you would actually back up the story, would you?" he was still looking at his hands in his lap. What was so interesting about them, I mean seriously? "'Course, it's not like I'd talk to anyone anyway. I tend to try to not be noticed."

"Sure I would. I don't lie, and what would be the point in not backing you up?" I paused. "And I don't see why you hide yourself so much, it's not like it helps you anyway. They still beat you up, don't they?"

"I hide because I don't have nice clothes. I mean, the only thing I have is this jacket and a few shirts, and this pair of pants. And also, I hide because I'm not like you alpha males, that's mostly why I get beat up." he sighed.

"What do you mean, by that?"

"I mean, I don't have the big muscles, I don't go around fucking girls, I don't drink, I can't do regular guy stuff. I find it all boring."

"So? There's a lot of quiet guys at school, and it's not like you're a nerd. I think you classify as the 'poet or artist' type."

"I can't draw worth a shit, and no one would read my poetry, I'm sure."

"Why not? Has anyone ever read it before? Have you given it a shot?" New mission in the Crusade: Get him to let me read his poetry. And see if I had any old clothes to give to him.

"There's my turn off, you can drop me off here though. I have to do something." he pointed to the accursed yellow sign and paopu tree. The damn things seemed to be haunting me today.

"Wow, your going the same way I was. Are you sure you want to get out here though? It's still pouring." I turned, splashing in a large mud puddle that had gathered in a pot hole.

"Yeah, it's fine. Thanks for the ride Cloud." he opened the door before I came to a full stop. Cold frigid air invaded the cab of my car, and icy rain drops blew in and hit my bare hands. He wanted to walk somewhere in this?

"I'll see you at school tomorrow! I'll be bringing you something too, okay?" he paused half in and half out of the door for just a moment, then shrugged.

"Sure I guess. If you want to be seen at school with some loser like me." and slamming the door, he walked off quickly, jumping the fence and making his lone, cold and wet way through a corn field. I waited for a bit, unsure of what to do. I really wish I could be sure he was all right…I mean, it wouldn't be good for my new friend to get pneumonia and die in a corn field, would it?

I shook my head. I had talked to him for only what, fifteen minutes? And I was already excited about seeing him tomorrow. I usually didn't make friends that fast, or care so much about seeing them so much. It had taken me months to open up around Tifa and Aerith, my two best friends, and with this kid, I had let the mask fall completely in very little time.

My phone rang at me, an annoying voice breaking my concentration. One of Roxas' favourite and annoying songs thrashed it's way from my pocket/ I sighed. I'd have to think more about this at home, Roxas was calling, and I had to answer. Gah, he ruined everything sometimes.

"Hey, yeah, I'm almost there. Okay, okay! Gee Rox, it's not like they've never seen me before."

"_Yeh yeh, shut up and get here idiot. I want to get on for WoW so I can level up before the Christmas special. Hurry up!"_

I flipped my phone closed, and continued to drive down the road. Sure he'd yell and bitch about me hanging up on him but at the moment I couldn't give a shit. I was too busy planning my Crusade.

**Leon POV**

I walked quickly through the field, the wet and rain making me shiver uncontrollably as I made my way to my shack, my home away from home. The last fifteen minutes replayed themselves in my head, over and over like some sick rollercoaster.

He was nice to me, Cloud Eliziar Strife. He had offered me a ride, had talked to me like I was a person, and he even said he would bring me something tomorrow at school. He was going to talk to me at school! _The_ Cloud Strife, resident hot stuff at Radiant Garden High. Had talked to me, little old nothing, loser Leon.

Tell you the truth, if I wasn't so damned cold and wet, I would be dancing. I had liked Cloud ever since I had first seen him, four years ago in grade school. I was always the kid that everyone else picked on, because I never had nice things, or nice clothes, and he had stood up for me one day when a bully named Sephiroth (his parents had some strange religious fanaticism, their first four sons were freaks, Riku, their youngest, was okay though.) was holding me face first into a toilet.

"Hey, jerk! Leave him alone!" he had cried, his blonde hair sticking out all over like a halo, his face as beautiful as an avenging angel's. I had almost expected to see a flaming sword, and white wings.

"No. He made fun of Mother." Sephiroth's long silver hair whipped around him like Medusa's tentacles, his sick looking aqua eyes flashing in lusty rage. I hadn't even been the one to say anything about "Yo mama so fat, she went to the super bowl with a spoon." I was just standing there, taking a pee, minding my own damn business. I was the scape goat though, since I was the one no one liked.

"I don't give a shit!" he had grabbed the older and larger boy by the hair and flipped him on his back, foot pressing on his chest. "He's drowning! Get the hell out of here, Sephiroth, before I kick your ass."

"Okay Cloud…but next time, next time you won't be there to save the little punk. I'll make sure of it." nose in the air, he had stalked out of the room, high and mighty. His parents had raised him like a god, really.

And he had yet to fulfil the threat, but Sephiroth never forgets his promises. He still reminded me of it to this day, from prison. I loved getting his letters, so full of trash as they were. He had finally been put away, for rape and attempted murder against his adoring younger brother, Kadaj. If Yazoo and Loz hadn't of been there, the triplets would have become twins. At least they weren't so horrible to anyone anymore, Yazoo's cross-dressing tendencies, Loz's football/lacrosse/hockey most-valued-player status, and Kadaj's kendo club kept them busy enough, they hadn't time to bother anyone.

From that day on, I kind of stalked my blonde angel, not in a creepy way mind you. Just in "I have a total and complete crush on him" and "I wish I wasn't such a loser so he would notice me" ways, nothing too creepy. It's not like I took pictures of him or some creepy stuff like that.

I was in love with him, I had prayed silently for years that he would notice me, that something would happen and he would finally see me. And I guess it had happened. But it hurt still, as much as him not seeing me. No, I think it hurt more, because he had finally noticed, but wasn't into boys. He was dating Aerith. Or Tifa, or both for all I knew. He was as straight as a ruler, but still, he had been nice to me, and I found that that's really all I needed to feel better. A confession of undying love would have been nice, but I'll take what I could get.

I finally reached the shack that I stayed in, when my parent's arguing became too much, and I couldn't take it anymore, which was awesome. The tiny little tool shed wasn't all that much, but it was mine, and through the past year I had beefed it up. Insulation in the form of hay that I had stolen from the fields was tacked against the walls with old rags and sheets, a couple of blankets and blessedly a spare pair of clothes. I rummaged around in the straw that made up a bed, and found the small metal box I kept spare food in, and nibbled on a package of Saltines I found.

It wasn't much, but how could I expect more, when I gave all I had to someone that needed it more than me? And I gave it all gladly, because Sora deserved the best, he was too young and innocent to deal with our parent's shit. I just hoped that mom didn't come home today before Sora's friends left, and that she didn't start yelling till he was safely away in his room, asleep.

I stripped off my wet jacket, and shivered slightly. I think my next little theft will be one of the kerosene lanterns from the barn, for some heat. The straw and hay insulation wasn't going to cut it for winter. My breath came out raggedly in puffs of fog, and I knew I'd be sick tomorrow…how could I not be after all that? Snuggling down into my blankets on my make shift bed, I rested for I don't know how long, trying to get myself warm again. The only things that weren't cold were my hands, the ghosts of Cloud's rubbing against the, the memory of that act of kindness warmed them, as though just the thought of his strong, large hands ministrations was enough to keep the cold at bay.

I loved him. I didn't even know much about him, but I loved him, Cloud Eliziar Strife. My own avenging angel, who, if he kept to his word, was going to bring me something tomorrow, at school. Maybe he was going to be my friend from now on, and I could look at him more openly? Look to him, watch him laugh, talk to him, because if he was my friend then I had a reason, I had permission to do so.

With warm thoughts, and warm hands (though the rest of me was freezing) I fell asleep, dreams of the Brother's Grimm and their stories filling my head.

AN : YAY!!! We see the beginning of the plot...just wait, folks! it gets better/worse! Hit or Miss, let me know review lovies!! :D Until next time, adieu!! -bows-


	3. Hey, Wanna Sleepover?

AN CHAPTER THREE ALREADY??

Yes =] cuz see I has a special Christmas Chapter, and a New Year's Chapter, so I had to get this one out :D OH okay so this moment I'm going to thank my lovelies, 0Life-is-a-Song0, Keeper of Fatestones, Lovetoread1983, and of course Sammy-Dee! They help me out a lot, from reading what I've written and praising or booing, editing even (sorry guys lmao! O.o ish typo person), and helping me with ideas!

If you likeh the Naruto, you should check out my friend icequeenperkey's story, The Akatsuki's Daughter, it's really good =] it has some formatting issues (she's really challenged technologically) but those will be fixed soon! So head over and check it out! If you love your Ayden!

Disclaimer: …. -sobofdespair- …

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**Hey, Wanna Sleepover?**

**Leon POV**

I waited impatiently in front of the school. He was coming today, he was going to bring me the gift he promised! And maybe I could talk to him some more, and maybe pigs will fly, and happily ever afters do exist. How could I possibly expect the hottest guy in all of RGHS to talk to me again? Yesterday must have been a fluke I mea-

"Hey, Leon! C'mere." a voice shouted at me from the parking lot, and my head jerked up so fast my neck popped painfully. There he was standing there, waving, his face stoic but his voice holding an almost non-existent warmth. He remembered my name, he was holding out a bag, and he was talking to me. Holy shit. I almost ran over to him, happiness plastered stupidly all over my face. I wonder what he got me?

"Here, I found these in my closet, I thought they might fit." he flipped the collar of his hoody up, the hood rising to cover his messy spikes. "You're a bit smaller than I am, so I had to look really hard, I bet you could wear some of Roxas' stuff, you're so tiny compared to me." he held the sack out, and I looked in the bag. A coat! a full fledged not mended coat! A pair of gloves and a set of better clothes, and on the bottom, a cookie.

"A cookie?" I asked confused.

"Sure, everyone needs a cookie. Hurry and change into the warmer clothes, okay? I'm getting cold just looking at you." I started to walk back towards the school when he grabbed my arm. "And I want you to sit with me, Aerith, and Tifa at lunch, that okay? You're fully invited, and they're great. Just don't tell them about my little episode."

"O-okay, sure." I nodded, and he let go of my arm. Sad days, I could have gotten used to that. I walked into the closed bathroom, the ones the messed up kids made sure remained out of order so they could cut themselves, the one that the sex and drug addicts used to get their highs at school, and the one I just used. Bathrooms were scary shit when you everyone liked to pick on you already.

Setting the bag on the back of the toilet seat, I looked at the clothes more closely. A black band tee from some local venue, I could see why he would have this in the back of his closet, a punk band tee's weren't quite Cloud's style. I shrugged and took off my holey coat, revealing pale skin. I didn't have anymore shirts after my one from yesterday had gotten soaked and muddy, and the one this morning on the walk to the house had gotten covered in corn silk and more mud.

Slipping it on, I grabbed the coat and put it on too, even though it was one size too large. I wasn't going to hold that against it though, this used to be Cloud's. Cloud had worn this…and again I sound stalkerish. The pants were a black pair of jeans, again, another size too large, but comfortable. And they had been worn by Cloud too. I took my belt and threaded it carefully through the loops, so I didn't miss one.

"Leon, you in here?" I almost fell in shock, Cloud!

"Yeah, just finished changing." I opened the stall and stepped out, slowly, my old clothes now residing in the bag, my old coat in my hands. No way I was going to get rid of it, though it should have been retired years ago. I could use it in the shack, as a pillow or a spare. I never got rid of anything that could one day be useful.

"Wow, you look nice, much better than those old things you had on before." he grabbed the bag from me, and stepped forward, a frown on his face. He was showing emotion again, to me? What made me so special. "Your hair is annoyingly long and in your face. You're not one of those punk kids, so why do you have it like that?"

"To hide behind." I stepped back, but he just stepped forward again, and started to push my bangs back with one hand. I was blushing, I could feel it.

"Why? You're not ugly or anything. Rgh, it won't stay, we'll have Aerith fix it after school or something. C'mon, we'll be late for class." his stoic mask was back in place, if I hadn't been watching his face so closely, I would have missed it. He grabbed my hand and pulled. Oh sweet Goddess, he was holding my hand!

I sat through my first four classes of the day like a person with a tic, twitching impatiently in my seat. Oh I wanted lunch to hurry the hell up! Then I could see Cloud, and sit with him and talk maybe? Of course, it's not like I would be eating, no sir. I let Sora have my lunch before I dropped him off, though my dear retard of an idiot brother never noticed, and for that I loved him dearly. It made giving up things for him much easier.

The bell finally rang, and I jumped up so fast, if the chair hadn't been attached to the desk it would have went flying. As I was about to run to the cafeteria, a hand grabbed the crook of my elbow and pulled me back.

"Ready to eat?" a quiet voice spoke up behind me, and I jumped about five feet. "Oh sorry, sorry, I didn't meant to scare you! I'm Aerith." I turned around and shook the proffered hand. "Honey, you look better in Cloud's clothes than Cloud does."

"I-I don't think so." I bent down to grab my backpack off the back of my chair. "He looks pretty good in his clothes." I blushed, yelling at myself in fury on the inside. Shit, shit shit.

"Cussing yourself out doesn't really make you feel better, does it? And don't worry, I already knew you liked him." I looked at her agape as shr pointed to her head. "I'm psychic hun, it comes with the territory. Come on, we can't keep Prince Charming waiting." she looped her arm in mine, and guided me out the door. If she hadn't been dragging me along, I wouldn't have been able to make it. I was too shellshocked.

**Cloud POV**

I sat down in the noisy and crowded cafeteria, distaste plain on my face. Goddess the school lunches were shit incarnate. Health reform? Bunch of crap. We still had the same prison food as always, and yet, our principle had a brand new BMW. I think someone was dipping off the top of some funds, don't you?

"Oh Clooooud!" a singsong voice called from across the room, and I waved at Tifa, who was jumping up and down at the back of the lunch line. I was scanning the crowd for Aerith and Leon, when I felt her small soft hand pat me on the back.

I jumped a bit, and Aerith just giggled. "Shit, Aerith you scared me, don't do that!"

"Sorry Cloud. I found your new pet in Honours English." she pulled Leon's arm and made him sit down. "Leo boy says he didn't want to eat, so we came straight here."

"What do you mean, you don't want to eat? Your too skinny." I poked the smaller boy who was sitting next to me in the ribs, and was a bit disconcerted to realise I had actually poked him in the rib, he didn't have anything in between his bones and skin. He really was skinny!

"I'm not hungry. Big breakfast." he blushed a but at my glare. Shit, I hadn't meant to glare so hard! I was flailing maniacally on the inside. Crap, what to do? I stood up and dragged him with me. "Come on, we're getting you something to eat. I insists- no, I demand it."

"Cloud, I don't have money." he blushed hard, and looked over at Aerith, who chose to ignore us. Opening her lunch bag, she pulled out her usual yogurt and honey sandwich. Tifa was waving at me hard, jumping up and down even more as she realised we were walking over to her/

"I'll pay, don't worry. And they're not going to make fun of you or anything, I explained some stuff last night to them." I had in fact, detailed my entire plans for Crusade to them the night before over Instant Messenger. So far they had been completely receptive, and a bit amused, though I had no idea why.

"B-but you shouldn't have to pay for me! I'm not even your friend, am I? I mean-" he looked me in the eye, his grey-blue ones meeting my cerulean. No one had ever met my eyes when I was glaring, besides Aerith and Tifa, since they knew it was all an act. "I want to be your friend, but I don't see why you would want to be mine."

"I just do, leave it at that. And you're going to let me pay for your lunch, and tonight, you're going to come over. Unless you have something legitimate planned."

He paused, actually stopped walking. "I have something planned, sorry. I have to take my little brother to meet his friends."

"Oh, I have to do the same thing, but you should come over if you can, let them play or whatever by themselves. It's what I do with Roxas. He says he's embarrassed about me, but it's all a bunch of shit, the little bitch." I frowned again. Why was I telling him all this? Girls were looking up from all over, trying their damnedest to listen to our conversation, and probably having smutty fangirl fantasies running through their minds. Silly bitches.

"Oh, okay. I will if I can. I guess." aha. I had won, Cloud 2, Leon 0. Let's see if I can make this a streak of wins for me, the Crusade depended on it. The Crusade that I really didn't quite understand why I was doing, or why it was so important to me, but nonetheless, when I devote myself to something like this, it had to be seen through.

We finally got to Tifa In the lunch line, and she hugged Leon tight. She was so like her little sister, Yuffie, who like her older sister, she was a skilled pickpocket and a very well trained martial artist, and one of my close friends even though she was years younger than us, closer to Roxas' age actually, than she was to mine.

"Cloud! And this must be Leon!" she let go of him, and appraised him with a critical eye. "I knew you'd get some use out of that shirt, and honey, you look really good in Cloud's clothes, you know that?" he blushed, and I felt slightly sorry for him. From going from an outcast to automatically having to deal with two very rambunctious girls, he was holding out pretty well.

**Leon POV**

What was it like, eating a school lunch for the first time? It was wonderful. The food was greasy, over and under cooked depending of what it was you were chewing on, and the taste was, shall we say, unfortunate. But I loved it, I was eating with something that, until this day, I had never had.

Friends. I had three now, two amazing girls and the one person I found myself attracted to. For once, I found myself enjoying lunch period, and wishing it wouldn't end. I was very unhappy when it did, and when my last three classes rolled by, and the final bell rang signalling the end of my first happy day in a long time, I was about ready to burst into tears.

"So, you'll come over right? I have to take Roxas to and from the movies, but after I drive him there we can hang out." Cloud said, while walking me to my car. Aerith and Tifa were waving to me from his, which was parked only a few spaces from mine.

"Umm I guess. I'll actually be seeing you at the theatre." I opened my car door, and was about to close it when he stepped forward and grabbed it.

"What do you mean by that? 'I'll actually be seeing you at the theatre?" he demanded.

"I'm Sora's older brother, didn't you know that?" I was a bit shocked. I thought he knew, I mean, me and Sora didn't have the whole freaky clone thing he and Roxas had, but we did look a lot alike.

"No, I didn't. why didn't you just have me drive you to your house yesterday instead of walking in the freezing rain?!"

"Can-can I tell you later? I need to get Sora." he would be outside waiting for me, and last time that had happened he had somehow gotten stuck in the mouth of a stone lion statue. Don't ask, I haven't a clue as to how he did it either, other than to say he's Sora.

"Yes, but you better have a good reason. It's a miracle you didn't get sick today." confusion and anger were clear on his face, and I had to wonder again…why was he showing emotion to me, when he masked most of what he was feeling from his best friends? What made me so special?

"Oh, it's pretty damn awesome. I'll see you later." I slammed the door shut as soon as he let go of it, and waved once more as I drove off. I wasn't mad at him, I was mad at me. What made me think I was so special? I have no idea. I know what made me _want_ to be so special, as to be the only one he showed emotion to.

It was a little bitch called Love, and she wouldn't leave me alone. Or it was at least her younger sister, Crush. And I really didn't mind that they wouldn't leave me alone, either. Because their cousin, Hope, seemed to be as ever present as they were.

**Cloud POV**

I was really looking forward to the movie theatre, sure it sucked cuz I'd have to deal with Roxas, Riku, Kairi, and Namine all in my car, but seeing my new friend was totally worth it. I was a bit nervous though, I mean, what would we do? I guess we could see a movie, but then we couldn't talk, and I wanted to know everything about him, it was all important for the Crusade.

I checked my reflection for the third time, making sure everything was spiked right and in it's place, I had used all the powers of control and persuasion I had in me to make my spikes do somewhat as I wished. My jeans and shirt were freshly laundered, and I made sure to use deodorant and cologne…I usually didn't go so far out but I wanted to make a good impression on him. That was key for the Crusade, I think. I mean, I didn't want to flaunt that I was wealthy (when he obviously wasn't, though I couldn't quite wrap my head around why Sora seemed so well off), but I did want him to see I could help.

I had some plans mapped out in my head…buy the kids tickets for two movies, and extra large amounts of popcorn and sugar they really didn't need, and take Leon to get something to eat, some place quiet cuz he was still a bit jumpy at loud noises, and then bring him back here to chill. I had a huge stack of clothes set aside, all the small-ish things I had and some clothes that mine and Rox's aunt Hildegarde had bought him that were _way_ too large, which hopefully would fit Leon better. I liked this charity thing, it was making me feel great about myself.

"CLOUD LET'S GO ALREADY!!!" Roxas yelled from downstairs, and I cursed him on the inside. Stupid little ass of a retard why I'll- NO! bad thoughts, baaaad thoughts. Stoic, stoic, stoic. Must remember the stoic.

I couldn't wait to see Leon. He was the only person besides Aerith and maybe Tifa that I could show my emotions too. No, scratch that, he was the _only_ person I could, and I had no idea why. I just felt like I could be absolutely honest and open with him, and frankly that was scaring me a bit. I never showed anyone everything I had, yet, I actually found myself letting Leon see.

Scary.

"Coming." bluntly stated and aimed, my one word seemed to silence the whole room of little kids.

"Wow, Cloud you look really nice!" Namine jumped up from her place by Riku and hugged me around the waist, closely followed by Kairi, who kissed me on the cheek. "Thanks for driving us!"

"Your welcome." I patted them on the head, and herded the chattering group out to the car. Oh how I wanted to bang my head against the steering wheel till my brains gushed everywhere. Pointless you may think, but it was all I could think to do to stop the horror of the headache that was going to come.

"Roxas are you okay?" I saw Namine grab Roxas' hand out of the corner of my eye, and saw the deep shade of red Roxas turned at the contact. What's up with people and the blushing? Leon did that a lot too, along with that same nervous hair thing that Roxas does, and the little twitch he would get whenever anything loud happened around him. Lunch today was very informative, I watched him like a hawk during the whole thing, trying to learn about his reactions.

"I'm fine, Nami. Let's just figure out what movie we want to see, 'kay?" he jerked his arm out of her grasp and jumped into the front seat of the car, leaving her to stare after him in utter confusion. I understood how she felt, I bet my face matched hers when Leon split so quickly earlier, after school. He really threw me for a loop, I hadn't guessed he was Sora's brother at all, not for a lifetime would I have known it.

I buckled myself in, and started the engine. Oh boy, so wasn't looking forward to this. But to see Leon, it was way worth it, I think I was going to elevate him to best friend maybe, or at least best male friend, since Aerith wouldn't take too kindly over being replaced.

**Leon POV**

Sora and I waited patiently (or in my case, nervously!) outside the theatre, the flashing lights and the crowds of talking people fascinating him and making me twitch and feel on edge. I was wearing Cloud's clothes (none of mine seemed nice enough to wear to something like this), and the coat and gloves were keeping me wonderfully warm. My hands were almost as toasty as when he rubbed them the other day.

"THEY'RE HERE!!!!" Sora jumped up from his perch on the statuary outside of the lobby door and ran as fast as he could, to be caught by Riku and Kairi, who shot each other a venomous glance. Drama there? I hoped not, for Sora's sake. He started to chatter excitedly at the other four kids, Riku watching with a face of pure delight, and Kairi watching Riku through suspicious eyes. Roxas slouched against a wall, watching with something I think I'd akin to hunger, and Namine just started to doodle on her sister's arm with a pen.

He wasn't here. I thought he was going to come today, and I thought we were going to hang out? I mean…I guess if he didn't want to that was okay I was just really hoping he wou-

"Hey, over here!!" a car honked, and my head jerked up so fast at the sound of his voice it popped again, I seriously need to stop reacting this way or I'd get whiplash. "C'mon, get in!" he honked again, and after a furtive look at the younger kids that were ignoring our presence, he grinned at me. My heart melted like butter, and pooled somewhere in the vicinity of my ankles. Goddess he was lovely.

Wait a minute. I had just described him as lovely. No, he was handsome. Hot, sexy, beautiful, nice, funny when he let that stupid stoic mask fall down, and oh yeah, _straight_ and utterly unattainable to my vagina and breast lacking body. _Stupid bitches!_ I mentally beat Hope, Crush, and Love into smithereens. It didn't make me feel any better, but it was fun I guess.

I walked over to the passenger side of the car slowly, savouring the idea that for the next 5 hours I got to hang out with Cloud Strife, the object of all of my romantic fantasies since I was in 5th grade. Cloud leaned over and opened the door from the inside, a move that, when I saw it in the movies, had always thought was sexy, but damn he made it so much worse, just by being Cloud. I think I'm going to die of happiness, right here, right now. This was almost like a date, though, unfortunately there wouldn't be any holding of hands or, dare I wish!, kissing.

I looked down at my gloved hands, and shook my head as I sat in the seat. No, that wouldn't ever happen, or could happen. Cloud didn't like me that way at all, or ever would. Why should he? A tear struggled to escape from my eye, and I couldn't stop it in time. Working its way slowly down my cheek the escaped silver was caught by the sudden intrusion of a warm finger.

"Hey, what's wrong? I was gonna go to a restaurant but we can just go to my place and have sandwiches or something." he flicked the tear away and my heart, solid once again started to thump uncontrollably in my chest. He was going to take me to his house, and we were going to eat there? Hell yeah!

"Nothing's wrong, just got something in my eye is all. So what are we doing?" I asked him, careful to not let the joy that was soaring it's way uncontrollably through my body show at all.

"Okay, as long as you're sure nothing's up?" I nodded and he just pulled away from the curb. "And as for what we're going to do, my friend, you and I are going to have a fashion show."

Eh? A what?

"Oh, okay." doubt was shooting holes in the joy. Maybe I was off on the assumption he was straight?

"Yeah, I found a shit load of things you might be able to wear, so it's going to be great! And you can have them all, it's no biggy, so don't argue with me this time." he shook his finger at me and grinned again. Oh. My. Goddess. I was going to wear more of Cloud's old clothes. Seriously, I could see the tunnel, with the light at the end, nothing could make this day any bet-

"And you can sleep over if you want, I know Sora is, right?" he handed me a can of coke. "Thirsty? I hope you don't mind its Cola, it's all we had." he took a swig of his own, and I felt a quick flash of jealousy for the coke, and the can.

"Y-yeah he was planning on it." oh no oh no oh no! I really was going to die! Of happiness! "And cola is great, thanks." I popped the lid on mine, and took a sip, the cold beverage washing its bubbly way down.

We drove for about fifteen minutes, to the upscale part of town, where large houses and walled communities all melted into one another. It was beautiful, the rich people's homes flashing by us as he drove, I swear, there was even a castle. No joke, at all, a large, clumsy looking thing with a strange symbol on the main tower, but a castle nonetheless.

"Wow, you live in a pretty nice neighbourhood."

"Yeah, our parents work almost non stop, their big time lawyers up in Radiant Garden. It's annoying as hell, since I have to babysit and drive Roxas all over the place, but the benefits are pretty nice." he sighed and I looked up at him, staring at his profile as it was lit up by on coming traffic. "That's why Roxas has friends over so much, or he's at your place, he hates being alone, and I'm not the best company."

"I think you're pretty good company." I looked down again and smiled a little bit. "You've been really nice to me so far, that's a first really. And you gave me some really nice clothes, and you're about to let me eat your food and you're going to give me more? Yeah, you're pretty awesome."

"Thanks for that." He smiled and looked over at me and I blushed. I was very grateful that it was dark. "But I'm not like this with other people, you know. I don't really understand why, but you make me feel at ease. I feel like I can be open with you, all the time." he took another sip of his coke, and a question I had been aching to ask suddenly burst out.

"Why sure, aren't we friends? You're pretty open with Aerith and Tifa." I paused, and bit the inside of my lip. "By the way, which one are you dating?" he suddenly started coughing really hard, coke flying out all over the wind-shield in a spray of yummy beverage (it was extra better cuz it had been in his mouth…no I am not a freak!) and I panicked, naturally. "Oh shit, you okay!?" I started to beat on his back, like my dad always did whenever I started coughing.

"No, no I'm fine you just caught me off guard." he hit his chest with his fist a few times, the last of the coughs subsiding. My hand still lingered and he shot it a glance, and I jerked it back.

"And as for the answer, no, I'm not dating either of them, and I never could. Their my best friends, they have been for years. Their more like family really." he sighed again. "For some reason, no one wants to date me, and I don't understand why. Am I not good looking?" he pulled into a driveway, which led to one of the smaller of the mansions. I say smaller only because it had more park like lawns, and less of an overbearing "I'm rich, fuck you" feel to it.

"Yeah, you are." he looked at me funny. "I mean, you're the most fawned over guy in the school. I saw the way the girls were acting at lunch today." Oh please don't let him catch on, please, please, please!

"Thanks. Yeah I noticed them earlier, they were mostly doing that cuz you were there. You look a lot better in those clothes than I did, and you're gonna be getting pretty popular yourself, after I give you the ones that I found for you earlier." he chuckled. "Aerith and Tifa were right, you're looking better in my clothes than I do."

"Never." I shook my head. "I highly doubt that."

He just shook his head and stopped the car in front of the house.

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AN Hit or Miss? Review and let me know, or I may just not write the flufferful Christmas Chapter…


	4. A Tentative Kiss

AN. Well hai you. You're back? WOOT! Got ya hooked don't I? anyway, this is the Christmas chapter, next is the New Year's one, and then I can take a break. And leave you all on a LOVELY cliffhanger. Cuz I'm evil that way.

Disclaimer: No lovee, I don't own Squenix. Or Kingdom Hearts, or Final Fantasy. -pout-

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_Chapter Four, A Tentative Kiss_

**Cloud POV**

I pushed open my door, in slight disgust and confusion. The boy had a serious inferiority complex, one that I had to prove wrong. He looked amazing in my clothes, it was true. I had noticed it on the ride over, all the way here, how the black shirt was tight enough to pull across his body. Mostly, girls eyes passed over skinny guys, I knew because Aerith and Tifa constantly did just that. But any girl would be crazy to pass him up, he was skinny in a compact way, I could see defined muscles in the darkness of the car.

"Welcome to the House of Strife, Master Leon." I pushed the front door open wide, and made a gesturing movement with my hand, a regal flourish to signal for him to come in, like I had seen in movies.

"Thank you, Master of the House." Leon bowed, in true court style, meeting my play acting perfectly with his own, and I laughed. It was so easy to be open with him, he was so new and different than my other friends; his attitude was a lot like Vincent's, quiet and reserved, yet a lot like Aerith, I could see his emotions light in his eyes, making them transform from grey to the lightest blue, and a lot like Tifa, I bet. He had a sincere trace of mischief that I could see buried deeply in his eyes, and it was part of my goal, I had to let it out no matter what I did.

"The kitchen's this way, why don't you go ahead and dig out all the sandwich stuff, or whatever you want to eat, the pantry is all yours to raid. I'm going to call Roxas and see how long they think they'll be at the movies."

"Okay…you sure, anything?" He twitched a bit, and I was reminded of just how skinny he was.

"As long as you stay away from the expensive looking stuff, it's all for us to steal." I paused in the doorway. "Actually, we could eat that too, I'm just warning you away from it because the shit tastes just like that- shit."

"Okay." his eyes got really big as he took in our pantry size. "Oh my."

I chuckled the whole way to the living room, and had to forcibly stop myself for a while, wheezing slightly as I tried to catch my breath before I picked up the phone and dialled.

"Hey, Rox, how long you guys gonna be at the movies?" stoic again, my voice held no trace of the amusement it held before.

"_A few hours, then we're going to Kai and Nami's house for dinner. Wait, hold on the idiot is speaking up. WHAT SORA??! GODDESS IM ON THE FUCKING PHONE!!"_ I could hear heated conversation, and I had a brief flutter of worry about the fact that my eleven year old butter just said "fucking". I also heard Riku's out burst to the way my brother was talking to Sora, and a brief flicker of amusement shot its way through my mind. Riku had it hard (in a few years, quite literally, he'd be hard) for the retarded brunet.

"It's okay Rox, call me and I'll come get you and Sora-"

"_Dumbo just said we're going to stay at Riku's, so you don't have to pick us up."_ -Click-

Bastard. He hung up on me again? But that was great, since I didn't have to pick them up…

"Hey, Leon!" I called into the kitchen. "Want to try some of my parents alcohol?" I saw Leon fidget as I walked into the room, and I laughed. I was trying to impress him, and it was all because I knew it was safe, since the boys had just called with the sleeping arrangement changes, and the plans for dinner. "We don't have to pick them up till tomorrow, we have the house to ourselves." I made a wide, sweeping gesture with my hands, and he blushed.

"L-Let's eat first?" he gestured to the table, which was layered with food. "I think I went a bit crazy when you said 'raid the pantry', sorry bout that." he scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "I was really hungry, but I'm not so hungry anymore, I-I mean I can just wait till I get home-"

"You're actually suggesting I eat without you? What kind of host is that?" I poked him in the rib. "Besides, you're super skinny. Eat boy, eat." I pushed him at the table, happy that he hadn't pulled anything fancy from the cabinets. I wasn't kidding when I said the fancy stuff tasted like shit. Eating in relative silence (he never seemed to pause in his eating…he put away almost twice as much as I did), we spent a few hours playing video games, the topic of the liquor dropped for the moment. But I wasn't going to give up, he needed to let loose horribly.

"Hey, here." I passed him a coke, and a large glass with ice in it. "I read about this in a book." I pulled the bottle of gin I had been hiding for the last hour or so out from its resting place in the cabinet. I poured a coke in my glass, and put gin in it, then did the same for him giving him a tad more liquor than I had given myself. I wanted him to open up and talk, not just sit there blushing all night.

I sipped (not daintily mind you, in a manly way!) at my own mix, the taste of the alcohol a treacherous undercurrent to the sweetness of the cola. Leon shrugged, a "what the hell" move, and started to gulp his down in nervousness. Needless to say, the liquor worked like a dream. After that, his whole demeanour changed from unhappy clam to opened up flower, it was that much different. He told me everything about himself.

"She beats me a lot you know, my mum does. Dad just hides in his room, his little office in the attic. I don't let her beat Sora, so she only beats me. That's why I don't live in the house anymore." he spoke up, his voice breaking the awkward silence that had filled the room after I had brought the alcohol out. "I go for food, and water and to be beaten, that's about it. Wanna see?" he reached for the hem of his shirt, and pulling it up, he pointed to a large yellowing bruise halfway up his side.

"That's from the other day, cuz I was out in the rain. And cuz I wasn't home, and she had to watch all the kids." I reached forward slowly, and gently ran my hand along the large mar, my warm hands meeting his cold skin causing him to shiver, and a weird fluttery feeling to erupt in my chest. "Your hands are really warm, it's nice." he grabbed another coke, and poured way more gin than necessary in his glass.

Oh dear. He was going to be roaring drunk, and it was all my fault.

"Why would they want to beat you?" I kept my hand where it was, and on impulse (I blame the gin…), I ran it slowly to the next one, which was partially hidden by his shirt. He gasped as my fingers made slow contact with his nipple, and yet my hand wanted to travel farther. I was blushing like mad and Leon looked like he was about to faint, from happiness, booze, or blood loss, since it all seemed to be centred on his face.

"Your hand is really warm."

"Your body's really cold, let's head to my room so you can try on those clothes, I have some out that are warmer than that tee-shirt." I stood up slowly, and grabbed my glass. What. The. Hell. When did I turn gay? Did I really care if I was or not, did I care if I was attracted to him? He was lovely…the only person I could be open with. He was really good looking too, so that wasn't amiss at all. The more I thought about it, the better the idea became, the more I sipped my gin, the braver I felt too.

"Th-thank you a lot Cloud. No one has ever been this nice to me, ever." he hiccupped. "Though, I wish they would stop saying I looked better than you in your clothes. You're really sexy." he blushed really hard, and I felt my face get really hot too.

"No, seriously you look really, really good in my clothes." I pulled a sip of cola and gin with my straw, the Christmas lights on our Christmas tree twinkling in Leon's shining eyes, which were as large as saucers when he saw just how big our tree was, my parents had gone all out this year. Of course, they weren't here to celebrate with me and Roxas, business trips had called them away. The house was depressingly empty too, since all of the serving staff had been given the weekend before Christmas off, and since Roxas was still at the movies, no loud banging thrashing music was filling the rooms.

"You have a really nice house, Cloud. And the tree…it's just…wow." he looked up, trying to see the top of our fourteen foot tall spruce. "the ornaments are really pretty too." gently he fingered one of the antique glass bells that hung from the sweeping green branches, and he laughed when it tinkled.

I cleared my throat. Something about his laugh made me uncomfortably tingly warm. "Yeah, their antiques, from Europe, they used to be pretty famous in the old churches or something like that. Want to see my room?" I grabbed the crook of his elbow and pulled him to the back of the house, then up the small set of stairs that led to my loft.

"This is my room." I pushed the door open, and pulled Leon into it in a rush. "Here, there's the clothes I found for you, try them on." I pulled him too my bed, where the large pile was. "Merry Christmas, Leon. Their all for you, and so is this." As and afterthought, I passed him my personal cell phone (I had two…one for Aerith and Tifa, and one for my other friends). I could easily get another one tomorrow. "So when someone beats you again, you can call me. I'll come get you."

"Oh thankee Cloud!" stumbling forward, he grabbed the phone from me. I had gotten him more drunk than I had planned, the liquor only instilling a small sense of warmth and scary courage in me. Leon stumbled again, and went flying, about to fall to the floor, and I, slightly drunk reflexes slower than usual, dove to catch him. I didn't quite make it, he ended up on top of me, both of us on the floor. "Ya know, that's the first time I've gotten a Christmas pressy since I was…ummm…" he counted on his long fingers. I like his hands a lot, one of the best things about him. "Since I was six."

He looked down at me, and seemed to just then notice he was lying on top of me, and another one of his blushes erupted all over his face. "Umm…I'm sorry 'bout that

"Your really cute, Leon."

"U-umm." he just looked away, still laying on my chest. "Oh, gosh, sorry I'm still laying on you." he slowly, I think, reluctantly, rolled off of me, and as soon as he met the floor next to me, I instantly missed the weight of him, and his cool body, and I knew that I'd have to fix that error. Sitting up quickly, I grabbed him and pulled him up to face me.

"Leon…"

He gulped. "Y-yes?"

"Leon…" I gulped too, and I felt my face get hot.

"What, Cloud?" he twitched nervously.

"This." and swooping forward, I kissed him.

**Leon POV**

I was drunk, but when he pulled me into his room, my mind became crystal clear, one thought beating its way to the forefront of my mind. _I was in his room!!_. And then, when he told me I was cute, all coherent thought fled completely. But, when he kissed me, it all came rushing back. Maybe there really was a Goddess, maybe wishes really came true? Thoughts like those swam chaotically in my mind, and I unintentionally broke it before a two seconds had passed.

"Leon…I-I'm sorry about that." he blushed, my angel was nervous, and apologising for answering my prayers. "I don't know what came over me. It must be the gin."

"No. it's nothing to be sorry about. On the contrary…" I moved in on him, capturing his lips with mine. "I've been waiting since we were in elementary school for that to happen. Since you saved me from Sephiroth." I kissed him again, but stopped when he froze.

"You were the boy I saved from him?"

"Yes." I looked at him confused. No, no, no. please don't let him not like me now.

"Oh." he looked down. "Well. Seems I just keep saving you from things, don't I?" he laughed and then grabbed me, pulling me down to be on top of him again. He looked uncertain for a minute, but then resumed the kisses. Oh goddess it was lovely, beautiful. Cloud Eliziar Strife was kissing me, Leon. The uncool kid, the one that people beat up, was kissing the most sought after guy in school. Ohmygoodness.

"Leon, I like you. A lot." he spoke into my neck, trailing kisses down towards my collar bone. "It started when I first talked to you, and tonight…Goddess tonight I just couldn't help but notice how wonderful you are." he kissed me again, and this time I tasted the alcohol. He was drunk, maybe not as drunk as I was, but drunk. He didn't mean any of it, I was sure of it now. It was the alcohol talking.

"Cloud, I've been in love with you for years." he reached down and pulled the hem of my shirt up over my head, his warm, fire hot hands trailing my cold body, passing lightly over the bruises so as not to hurt me, I guess. Those ugly bruises. "I been dreaming about this for so long…" I didn't care if he was drunk and didn't remember it. I had been kissed by him, and he was touching me and trailing light, like a comet, in my soul.

He didn't answer my confession, his hands trailing lower and lower, and I fumbled with his own shirt, pulling it up over his spiky halo of hair, his toned and muscled chest greeting hungry eyes. I saw my own expression of hunger echoed in his eyes, and the errant thought of 'maybe he means it really' passed through my mind, only to be squashed by realism. Not possible, ever. Period.

His hands reached into my pants, which had magically come undone, and brushed against the skin of my butt, and I shivered in ecstasy, oh Goddess. I reached down and started to unbutton his pants, but a wave of dizziness and nausea passed over me, reality finally catching up with me, ruining my dream and fantasy.

In three short words, I passed out.

**Cloud POV**

I was on fire, burning inside and out and the cold of his body proved to be a challenge that my hands had taken upon themselves to complete. To warm him inside out so he could be on fire like me too. My hands ran up and down his back, his chest, his sides, and then my left hand daringly shot down and undid his pants, as my right hand searched the new, uncharted territory.

Goddess, it was just so _right_. That is, it was until he passed out on top of me as he was working to release the button on my pants.

Oh my gosh, what the fuck? And it was all my fault, since I was the one that got him drunk… I pushed him off of me slowly and carefully (he fit me perfectly, I didn't want to let him go at all), and looked down at him. He was beautiful (did I say that already?), and more importantly, he was mine. I stood up, and slowly bent down to pick him up, gently wrapping my arms around him, and carried him to my large, empty bed. , tucking both of us in under my warm comforter. I rewrapped my arms around him, and with a sigh, fell slowly asleep, my fire finally warming the cold body next to me.

"Merry Christmas, Leon..." a soft sigh, barely audible even to me, and i was the one that, on the edge of sleep said it.


End file.
